Forgive a young noobfor asking, but why is Langford not the GOAT? From what I've read this man should be higher than Robinson.

he wasn't given the opportunities that robinson was given. robinson also had an air of invincibility. he never lost to a welterweight. he's the least flawed of all fighters by a long shot. he had great (not good, but great,) speed, and power, and a great chin.

he fought johnson, for instance, but only when he was a youngster. when johnson was HW champion langford couldn't get a fight with him

I understand but in most of boxing fans' top P4P list it's almost always Robinson on top.

My knowledge on pre-80s boxing is severely limited but I don't see how anyone could be above a guy who beat ATGs from lightweight to heavyweight. Insane achievement.

alot of ppl who call robinson the goat do it based on peer pressure more than anything, there are plenty of fighters who could be awarded the same honor. thats not saying robinson doesnt deserve it or that its ignorant to call him the goat, he has as strong a claim as anyone. langford is up there though, most ppl rank him amongst the 10 best ever and rightfully so.

sam was skilled and also a physical freak enjoying a very long reach for a man only 5'6 and I imagine he was very strong similar to dwight braxton(the fellow that holyfield claims gave him his toughest challange)

first edition published may 08, second published october 08. you can find it on amazon.

to add to the thread, sam fought jack johnson when he was comparatively green and gave him fits. johnson later ducked/refused a rematch. this is a quote of johnson from the book Jack Johnson: My Life and Battles:

"In April 1906, Sam Langford and I met for 15 rounds in Chelsea, Mass., and I found him to be one of the toughest opponents I had ever faced in the ring. 1 weighed 190 pounds at the time and Langford only 138. In the second round, the little ****** landed a terrific right hand on my jaw and I went down like I had been hit by a cannonball. Never in my entire pugilistic career, neither before or since, have I taken a punch that landed with that much force. It was all I could do to get back on my feet by the time the referee was about to say "Ten!". I managed to do that but I can assure you that I felt the effects of that punch for the rest of the fight. I realised at that moment, that against a man like Langford, you can never let your guard down and that I needed to use all the skill I had. After 15 rounds, I was declared the winner on points."

he also said something to the effect of: "that ball of fire has a shot against anybody." (from memory, can someone find the real quote?)

although from what i gather johnson was prone to claiming one thing then asserting another. either way, the fact remains sam gave him one of his toughest fights.